


Coming Home

by CuppyCake5



Category: Warrior (2011)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-27
Updated: 2013-08-27
Packaged: 2017-12-24 20:29:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/944311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CuppyCake5/pseuds/CuppyCake5
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Recently I watched a BUNCH of youtube videos of soldiers coming home from war and surprising their families (because I like to emotionally traumatize myself) and I decided to write one for Tommy Conlon years after the final fight and everything between the Conlon men has settled into something more pleasant.<br/>Enjoy!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Coming Home

When Tommy had left seven months ago, there’d been tearful goodbyes. His nieces, who’d grown used to having their uncle around. His brother had just smiled and nodded with glossy eyes. Even Paddy, a tear rolling down his cheek as he tried one last time to convince Tommy that he didn't need to go, he didn't need to do it. But the youngest Conlon son simply nodded and reminded his father that he did, he did need to go back out.

But more difficult than that had been her tears. As she stood there, clenching her jaw and angry with him for leaving, for putting himself in danger. They both knew though it wasn't the truth. She was going to miss him. More than she was willing to admit when they were ‘just friends’. 

Thinking of it now, Tommy almost smiled because her anger and her need to have the upper hand had nearly ruined it that day. But he was more than willing to call her on her shit.

His large hand had stroked her hair until his calloused fingers laid on the side of her neck. “Come now, you’ll be fine.” He spoke softly; trying to keep the moment private from his family and knowing her pride would lead to a fall out if he didn't. But a frown set on her lips and she pushed his hand away a bit more roughly than necessary, as she glared up at him with tears threatening to spill down her cheeks. “Oh, I know I’ll be fine. You just better hope you will be too.” Her eyes dropped to the ground behind him and she folded her arms around herself as if holding herself together.

There’d been a time when they first met that Tommy would've thrown up his hands and walked away to leave her stewing in her anger. But he understood her now. He understood that for whatever reason, she simply couldn't be the one to take that first step, would never be the one to expose her feelings first.

Instead he wrapped his muscular arms around her frame and held her tight. First unmoving and stiff her body relaxed into his and wrapped her arms back around him, sighing as if she’d been holding her breath the whole time. “You’ll be fine.” He tried again. This time, she didn't say a word, simply shook her head against his chest.

And when he found out he’d be coming home two weeks earlier than he’d thought, he’d made the decision to only tell Tess so that she could help him to surprise everybody. Sitting in the backseat with tinted windows, Tommy’s calm grew into nervousness and excitement at seeing Brendan and Paddy in the front as the girls played. Tommy let Tess step out first, hearing the girls whine at the lack of pizza she had promised she was getting. “I was on my way, but I found something else I thought everybody like more…”

With that, Tommy opened the door, smiling at his family. The girls were the first to react, dropping their toys and running to him. Kneeling in the grass, he hugged them tight as he took in his brother and father’s shocked expressions. The attention of his nieces was only on him for a moment as Rosie looked to her mom with sad eyes and asked, “Are we still getting pizza?”

Laughing, he let the girls go and went to hug Brendan and chide his father lightly for the tears in his eyes. “You gettin’ soft on me, ol’ man?” Those words made Paddy swipe his eyes and puff up his chest. “Naaah. Jus’ good ta have ya’ back.”

Tommy hadn’t noticed that Tess had disappeared into the home, but he saw coming out the front door, a mischievous smile on her face. “Hey! We got you a surprise too.”

And she stepped out. The shock on her face made it clear that she’d been in the dark about Tommy’s return too. Racing to him, she leapt into his arms, wrapping her arms tight around his shoulders. His arms around her back and waist, it was easy for him to keep her lifted and close to him. “I’ve missed you.” She blurted. It took him by surprise, never having heard her be the first to admit anything that might even remotely give somebody the ‘upper hand’. Burying his face into the skin of her neck, he spoke quietly, “I missed you too.”


End file.
